MATERNAL NAMES
WILLIAM MCEWEN (McKEOWN M'KEOWN) 1811-1887 2nd great-grandfather
SCOTLAND NATIONAL FLOWERS IRELAND
Scottish and Irish Naming Patterns
First born son named for paternal grandfather
Second born son named for maternal grandfather
Third son named for the father—unless he shares a name with one of the grandfathers
Forth son named for for other brother’s —or (Irish) the father’s eldest brother
Fifth son named for other brother’s —or (Irish) the mother’s eldest brother
First born daughter named for maternal grandmother
Second born daughter named for paternal grandfather
Third daughter named for the mother—unless she shares a name with one of the grandmothers
Forth daughter named for other sisters —or (Irish) the mother’s eldest sister
Fifth daughter named for other sisters —or (Irish) the father’s eldest sister
Since 2019 I have come across new information about my McEwan family. I believe I have found the actual baptismal information on William McEwan. Until now I did not know who his parents were and any information I found was erroneous. I have found more concrete information that actually works regarding his actual age.
I always knew from family information that William was born in Ireland (of Scottish decent). For a time I thought his father was William but my new find identifies his father as John. This would prove more in keeping with the naming tradition of the Scots and Irish. If William’s first son is named John, then it is usual to assume that was the name of his father, which appears to be the case.
BIRTH
I found (a) William (McKeown) born November 8, 1811, in Aghalee, Antrim, Northern Ireland to John McKeown and Eliza Cunningham.
I appear to have a DNA connection to Elizabeth Cunningham, wife of John, which would prove the parentage of William. According to further research, it would appear William had siblings Joseph born July 2 1815, Deborah born in 1819 and John born in 1826, all in the same parish. This would indicate that Eliza’s father was probably named Joseph if they followed the naming pattern of either the Scots or the Irish. I am unaware at this time of any other children.
As Irish documentation is hard to come by this is the only clue I have for the birth of most probably our William. We were told by family that John McEwan son of William McEwen and Mary Brown was a Scot of Irish descent. This is the closest I have come to verifying any parents to my 2nd great-grandfather William. More research to solidify my findings, which is difficult due to the lack of documentation in Ireland, however, the DNA connection is a solid clue and probably the best I will get. If so, I can add much more to my McEwan line and will shortly post more about what I believe to be my lineage.
MARRIAGE
At some point, William, or the family moved back to Scotland. It was in Glasgow, he married Mary Ann Brown on April 16 1836, in Tradestown, Gorbals, Lanark, Scotland. The spelling of McEwen is what shows on the marriage certificate. When it would have changed from McKeown is unknown. It would later change again to McEwan.
Tradeston was an industrial part of Scotland where the rich and poor lived side by side. The northeastern part housed the poor, while the wealthy inhabited the south and the west. My ancestor would have been from the former.
Family lore from an ancestor long passed tells tales of the two: "William McEwan was the youngest of 21 sons and Mary Ann Brown was youngest of 19 daughters". While most likely much exaggerated, it indicates the couple both must have come from large families. Unfortunately, I have no proof of this. The same relative claimed he was a direct descendant of Bryan Barou, the last king of Ireland. So far I am centuries away from proving that. It does make for a good story, however.
SCOTTISH CENSUS OF 1841
I was lucky enough to find the family in the 1841 Scottish census with my forbearers among those taken.I was not sure how to read it and wondered who all the people were. For this reason, I was compelled to read about the conditions in Glasgow during those years to fully understand how dire the living situations might have been. There are what appears to be three families under the same roof on Main Street
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William McEwan 30 born in Ireland
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Mary McEwan 30 born in Ireland
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John McEwan 12 born in Glasgow (most probably William's younger brother)
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Elizabeth Brown 20 born in Ireland
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James Nails 25 born in Ireland
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Barbra Nails 25 born in Ireland
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Joseph Brown 30 born in Ireland
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Robert Brown 9 born in England
William is documented as a handloom weaver in the cotton industry as are the other men in the household. Mary, Elizabeth and the two children are unemployed and Barbra is a seamstress. I am thinking the others in the household would probably be part of Mary's family, possibly two sisters and a brother, and their families. This would quell the family tale about William and Mary’s families. I am uncertain who the child John McEwan is as he is too old to be William's only son, John. I suspect he is William's youngest brother.
The family is living in the Parish of Kirkfield "quoad sacra" (this was an ecclesiastical census designation), Gorbals, Lanarkshire, on Main Street. Gorbals was an overcrowded part of Glasgow and conditions were less than hospitable. There was a lack of food and lodging, and the overcrowding led to extremely poor living conditions. *blog post link below
Toronto Map 1858
William McEwen always lived near the centre of Toronto. This map shows the St. Lawrence Market (lower centre) and both Francis and Duke Streets to the north of the market.
IMMIGRATION TO CANADA
William and Mary and their infant son John would soon leave Scotland and immigrate to Canada. Until this morning I was less certain of the date, but an 1842 Canadian Census for Wm. McKeon leads me to believe I may have found the family. This would mean they left Glasgow during the year 1841 to settle in Toronto. In this census, it appears that William is listed as a blacksmith. It is possible he learned this work while on the farm and before he left for Glasgow to work in the cotton mills. His only son John would become a goldsmith, applying his father's trade to one more refined. Most likely in hopes of a better future.
William would live his life as a labourer and remain among the working poor hoping for a better future for his one young son. Those dreams would have been accomplished had his son John, my great-grandfather not been so prolific. John would have had much more money to spend without thirteen children. But then again, if he had, I would not be here to tell the tale, as my grandfather Benjamin was one of his youngest children.
Unfortunately, the 1851 Canada West census for Toronto did not survive so I am unable to find the family there. An early presence of the family is in the 1847 Toronto Directory where William is working as a labourer and living with his family on Francis Street. Francis Street was a short street running perpendicular and starting at King Street just north of the St. Lawrence Market in the heart of the city and ending at Adelaide. Even at that time, it must have been a bustling area filled with tradesmen and labourers from abroad. The total revenue for the city that year was £10475 according to the city directory.
William is also present in the 1861 and 1863 Toronto directories, the latter at 127 Duke Street. Duke Street is only a block east running perpendicular to Francis.
William remained in the same area for the rest of his life and worked as a labourer. He can be found in the censuses for 1861 and 1871.
William died in Toronto August 19th 1887. He was documented as seventy-five years old and having been born in Ireland. His grave stone says he was born in 1810.
If he had remained in Scotland would he have had such a long life? The life expectancy in Glasgow was much lower. William died from cholera. Toronto was a city not unlike Glasgow at the time and the water supply was less than pristine, especially in the downtown core where the family resided. He left behind his wife Mary, son John and ten grandchildren. The youngest of his grandchildren, Edward died two days prior to his death also from cholera.
He did live to see many of his grandchildren grow, each choosing a trade or profession that would promise them a brighter future. I am sure this gave him solace. William is buried in the Necropolis Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.
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Grave marker for William and Mary Ann McEwen
Toronto Necropolis Cemetery and Crematorium
Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada
for a greater insight visit my blog on: THE PLIGHT OF THE IRISH - GLASGOW SCOTLAND EARLY 1800S
Citations
(1) B.1811 McKeown William Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911
(2) M.1836 McEwan William/Brown Mary Ann Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910
(3) C.1841 Scotland Parish: Kirkfield; ED: 47; Page: 22; Line: 450
(4) TD. 846 Brown’s Toronto City and Home District Directory, 1846-1847
(5) TD.1861 Brown’s Toronto General Directory, 1861
(6) TD 1863 Hutchinson Toronto City Directory, 1862-1863
(7) C.1861 Census of Canada Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1102-1103
(8) C.1871 Census of Canada Census Place: St Davids Ward, Toronto East, Ontario; Roll: C-9972; Page: 24; Family No: 103
(9) D.1887 McEwen William Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938, 1943-1944, and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Collection: MS935; Reel: 49
(10) Br.1887 Ontario, Canada, Toronto Trust Cemeteries, 1826-1989 Toronto Trust Cemeteries; Toronto, Canada; Cemetery: Necropolis Cemetery; Volume: 07; Year Range: 1883-1891
(11) D.1887 McEwan William Find a Grave memorial/58575257